The elegant 300 sedan continues to display the polish of its development under Mercedes-Benz's ownership of Chrysler.

Introduction

The Chrysler 300 is the marquee sedan for Chrysler, and has been since its inception. Over the years Chrysler has slowly perfected the 300, and the 2013 model is based on an older Mercedes-Benz platform. The end result is a roomy, comfortable, and powerful sedan with a litany of available options, drivetrains, and engine choices.

What separates the 300 from most sedans is the combination of a sleek exterior, cavernous and elegant interior, quiet and comfortable ride, and powerful engine. Many competitors can boast of having one or two of these features, but the 300 nails each option across the board. In addition, Chrysler hasn’t scrimped on materials – the interior finishes are modern, crisp, clean, and expensive in appearance, giving the impression of being a much more expensive vehicle than it actually is.

The base 300 features a 3.6 liter V6 engine which boasts 292 horsepower. This is accented by 17-inch allow wheels, keyless ignition, eight-way power driver’s seat, automatic headlights, tilt steering, six-speaker stereo system with CD player and auxiliary input jack, and leather interior. Upgrades are plentiful, but many packages involve upgrading the trim level. Chrysler has added five new levels of trim to the 300 to compensate for these additional packages.

In the cluttered sedan market there’s a lot of directions buyers can go. The 300 bridges the gap between the higher end luxury vehicles (like the Cadillac ATS) and the more affordable American sedans like the Ford Taurus, Buick LaCrosse and Regal. Japanese imports like the Toyota Avalon and Honda Accord also offer competition for the 300. But, almost across the board, the Chrysler 300 offers a lot of high-end luxury in a slightly more affordable package. While the 300 might not replicate the history of reliability of Asian imports, or the style (and price) of European performance sedans, it comes close enough – making it one of the most sought-after American luxury sedans.